The effects of global climate change have been particularly devastating to Caribbean nations, which have been battered by storms and droughts that have disrupted food security and caused significant economic impacts. To address these challenges, INMED Partnerships for Children established INMED Caribbean, which was officially incorporated as an NGO in Jamaica in 2010. Our team has been working to improve the health, education, safety and opportunities of the nation’s most vulnerable children through adaptive agriculture, school gardening, climate change education, nutrition and health education, positive youth development and teacher training programs.

In addition to aquaponics and adaptive agriculture, INMED’s programs in the Caribbean have included:

The Community Health Awareness for Adolescent Reproductive and Maternal Care program, focused on preventing high-risk teenage pregnancies through outreach and education

The Centers of Excellence for Teacher Training program implemented in partnership with USAID, the University of West Indies and the Joint Board for Teacher Excellence

The Lyrics for Life nutrition education and school gardens program, implemented in partnership with the Pan American Health and Education Foundation, the Ministries of Education, Health and Agriculture, 4-H and the Bob Marley Foundation

The summer reading lists are out, and for those interested in gardening as a means of better nutrition, education and engagement, The Power of a Plant by Stephen Ritz is a good read. A teacher in some of the country’s poorest schools, Ritz documents how incorporating gardening and plants into his curriculum played a key role in increasing the graduation rate of students from 17% to 100% and improving attendance to 93% at his South Bronx high school.

INMED has experienced equally impressive outcomes with its school gardens in Brazil, Peru, Jamaica and South Africa. Learn more at https://inmed.org/what-we-do/.